I played a swing era dance party last week that took me back to my early playing days and reminded me of some of the core aspects of bass playing. The music was all the old big band rep with the emphasis on danceable. The role of the bass in this situation is very clear: no solos, nothing fancy, emphasis on rhythm and form, two-beat and four on the floor with the occasional waltz and cha cha. It made me concentrate on keeping good time and making sure I was playing solid, simple, functional lines. I was back in my early territory band days in my imagination, as well as making me realize how that early experience has influenced my concept of good playing ever since. Keeping this going for four hours can be a tiring experience. One thing that has changed since those days is amp use, which my older self does appreciate in this setting now
